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Thread: Playing Bass Trombone and Euph - Is It Bad for Your Chops?

  1. No. It will make you a better player. Toot around on a tuba and you will have the unholy trinity!

  2. #22
    I am in HS and I want to learn a new instrument (Bass Trombone). My private lesson teacher is frequently impressed by the resonance with my notes below Bb in the staff (on the Euph). Currently, our HS has 2 bass trombones and one is a senior. Is it worth it to learn Bass Trombone?

  3. #23
    I know people who double on euphonium & bass trombone, and I don't think there is any inherent reason not to do this. Having a really solid double on an instrument used in orchestras and jazz ensembles could be a valuable skill.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
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  4. #24
    I am no pro, but I agree with Dave. The more instruments you play, the more opportunities you have! I have played with at least a couple of great euphonium players that also are solid bass trombone players, so I see no reason why you couldn't do the same.

    Coincidentally I was just listening to the bass trumpet/tenor tuba orchestral excerpts recording that Michael Mulcahy did. Granted he plays tenor trombone and not bass, but he really sounds great on the valved instruments as well. If you haven't already listened to those recordings, definitely go find it. I think the musicality, tone, intonation, etc... that he achieves on a euphonium in the orchestral setting is really amazing.

  5. I'm biased, as a trombone player. I think any time a euph player can pick up trombone, it's an improvement. There are more opportunities on trombone. A lot of the skills are transferable. The slide is often an impediment for euph players. You're going to sound like a beginner for a while, but if you stick with it, remember a couple things about euph players learning slide:

    - develop a natural way to hold the slide without being too rigid
    - don't gliss between notes unless you mean to
    - use the slide, not your lips for intonation
    - the positions for each partial are slightly different
    - you can use the natural breaks between partials to move to a different note without glissing
    - sound and articulation are different on trombone - spend time working on characteristic sound
    - play duets with a good trombone player to try to emulate good sound and articulation
    Last edited by hyperbolica; 08-19-2022 at 11:29 AM.

  6. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by hyperbolica View Post
    - use the slide, not your lips for intonation
    - the positions for each partial are slightly different
    I dabble on trombone on a very recreational level, but for me these two points are very important. It definitely takes time to get used to the slide, and for someone used to pushing valves the ambiguity in slide position can be frustrating at first. However, once you get used to it, a big benefit is that it seems like it is much less of a fight against the instrument to play in tune. It is just a matter of finding the position that gets you in tune, and then hitting that. It takes repetition, muscle memory, lots of practice, etc..., but in a way it is easier than fighting the partials on a euph and having to lip notes in tune.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Yorktown, Virginia
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    …time to enter discussions on valved trombones…?!?!

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/28493120431...emis&media=SMS
    David Shinn
    Peninsula Concert Band
    Yorktown, Virginia



    1971 Besson 181 ‘New Standard’ Euphonium (3+1 compensating) ~ Alliance DC3M
    1971 Besson 176 ‘New Standard’ Euphonium (3 compensating) ~ Alliance DC3M
    1979 Besson 755 'New Standard' Baritone (3 compensating) ~ Alliance DC5S
    1894 Besson ‘Doublophone’ Euphonium (3 + 1 changeover) & Original Leather Case


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  8. #28
    Thank you so much.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
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    178
    Since someone said maybe the discussion should open on valve trombones, i have a question. Is there now or has there been in the past professional quality combination valve and slide trombone (two attachments, not the superbone)? I have some vintage trombones and new ones, but would consider getting rid of a few for a high quality combination. Just wanted to know if anyone had suggestions as to what i might look for.

  10. Quote Originally Posted by rgorscak View Post
    Since someone said maybe the discussion should open on valve trombones, i have a question. Is there now or has there been in the past professional quality combination valve and slide trombone (two attachments, not the superbone)? I have some vintage trombones and new ones, but would consider getting rid of a few for a high quality combination. Just wanted to know if anyone had suggestions as to what i might look for.
    Yeah, there are 2b and 3b combos that include a slide and a valve section. There is a Conn 5G, which is a valve trombone, and the 6H is it's slide cousin, so the slide/valve section are interchangeable. I think Olds had some valve/slide interchangeability, and possibly Getzen. Large bore is different. 88h has a 90G (trombonium) cousin, but the parts aren't interchangeable.

    When I want valves, I play an Olds O21, which is the compact marching trombone, or flugabone. I don't have a valve section for any of my slide horns. The common complaint is that valve bones are stuffy. They are usually very small bore. The O21 is relatively big at 0.510". The 90G is rare at 0.547". 3B is also somewhat hard to find at 0.508". A lot of the old valve bones are in the 0.46-0.48" range (trumpet size).

    You can get a valve bass trombone, but they are generally German instruments, and some only have 4 valves, you'd probably need 5 and a tuning slide to make it work. There is also the cimbasso, which is an F, Eb or BBb contrabass valve trombone with 5-6 valves.

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